The Great White Fleet circumnavigated the globe in 14 months, a journey of 43,000 miles that included 20 port calls across six continents. Fourteen thousand Sailors and Marines participated in the voyage, leaving a lasting legacy at home and abroad.

The Voyage of a Lifetime

The cruise consisted of three different legs or sections that took U.S. Navy Sailors and Marines on an adventure across treacherous seas and exotic lands unknown. Sailors and Marines gained valuable at-sea experience and significantly improved the accuracy of fleet gunnery through practice exercises. Get an overview of the voyage.

The Ships of the Great White Fleet

The fleet consisted of 16 steam-powered, steel-hulled battleships, two of which were replaced after reaching San Francisco due to excessive coal consumption. Technological developments of the twentieth-century Navy led to greater demand for technical ratings such as electricians. Thanks to the recent introduction of refrigerator ships, crews enjoyed improved food offerings. Learn more about the ships of the fleet.